Grave marker and other indicator



April 4, 1939. s. ARKIN GRAVE MARKER AND OTHER INDICATOR Filed March 30, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jnnentor \S IDNE Y RKl/V,

(Ittorneg April 4, 1939. s RM 2,153,229

- GRAVE MARKER AND OTHER INDICATOR G? /0 A i 'x/fi zzwfi 31E l a, 5 gm,

attorney Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to indicators and similar devices and more particularly to devices such as grave markers or tablets having name and other indicia carried thereby.

One object of the invention is to provide a grave marker or other indicator constructed and arranged to carry removable and inter-changeable letters, names, dates, design elements, etc. whereby such markers may be kept in stock and provided with appropriate indicia suitable to the requirements and preferences incident to the use of the markers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a grave marker or similar device of the character described which is of simple construction and readily adaptable for exhibiting different names,

dates, etc.

A further object of the invention is the provision of tablets or grave markers capable of being used either as permanent markers or for temporary use preliminary to the installation of the permanent monuments.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a marker or tablet which may be placed and secured in horizontal position on a suitable base.

A yet further object of the invention is generally to provide a grave marker or similar device of improved construction and appearance.

The above objects of the invention and other objects which might hereafter appear will be fully understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the front of a grave marker made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the interchangable elements adapted to be carried by the marker;

Fig.5 is a detail sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a shaft or supporting post for the marker provided with struck out anchoring elements;

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, showing a shaft provided with a removable anchoring element;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the shaft illustrated in Fig, 7;

Fig. 9 is a rear view of a marker made in accordance with another form of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a view partly in elevation and partly grave marker made in accordance with the pres- 1 ent invention comprises a metal plate In which may carry suitable ornamentation and legends permanently applied thereto in any suitable way, and in addition interchangeable names, dates, ornamental elements, etc., as may be desired or necessary in accordance with the requirements and preferances indicated in reference to the deceased in the particular instance in which the marker is to be used. Thus, for example, as illustrated in Fig. l, the plate I0 is provided with the permanent legend indicated at l2 and has provision for carrying the name of the deceased as indicated at M, the latters dates of birth and decease as indicated at It and I8, respectively, and by way of further example, an ornamental element 20. Plate I0 is fixed at the top of a shaft or post 22 in upwardly and rearwaidly inclined relation thereto. Said plate may be of any suitable shape and made of any suitable metal but bronze or aluminum is preferred.

Considering more specifically the construction of plate 18, the latter is preferably a cast metal plate and is provided with an opening 24 in which the interchangeable character units 26 (Fig. 4), here shown as letter units, are mounted. Plate I0 is provided with a recess 28 in its rear surface surrounding opening 24, and units 26 are provided with reduced projecting end portions 38 which are received in said recess 28 and engage the plate It therein, the intermediate or body portions of the units projecting through opening 24 for exposure at the front of the plate.

Said units are preferably made of metal and, as shown in Fig. 3, have a thickness such that the rear surfaces 32 thereof are flush with the rear surface of plate In while the front surfaces 34 of said units are flush with the front surface of said plate. The letters proper 36 are raised so that when said units are in position, said letters project somewhat from the surface of the plate l0. Spacer units 38 similar in all respects to character units 26 except that former are devoid of letters or other characters are similarly positioned within opening 24 as may be necessary to properly space the parts of the names of the deceased with respect to each other, and with respect to the opening for the purpose of symmetry. The numbers for the dates indicated at It and [8 may likewise be constituted by character units similar in all respects to the units 26 and are received in plate openings 40 at which plate It is provided with recesses like recess 28 at opening 24. The ornamental or symbolic character unit 20 is also preferably of the same construction as unit 26 and is received within an opening 42 at which the plate is provided with a recess like recess 28 of opening 24, Said letters, spaces and other removable units may be made of any suitable metal, such as aluminum or bronze and may contrast in color with the plate 10. Thus, for example, plate IU: may be made of bronze and the units of aluminum or vice versa.

The interchangeable units are held in position by a thin metal plate 44 removably secured over said units by detachable securing devices 46, one at'each corner of said plate. Each securing device comprises a short metal sleeve 48 and a screw 50. Sleeve 48 bears on the outer surface of plate 44 and is held in engagement therewith by screw 54 which is threaded into a boss 52 preferably integral therewith and projecting from the rear plate-surface. Plate I0 is preferably formedas a metal casting, while plate 44 and post 22 are preferably fabricated from sheet metal.

With further reference to post 22', it will be observed that the latter has an inclined upper part 54, post 22 is as hereinbefore stated fabricated from sheet metal and as clearly shown in the drawings is channel-shaped for strength. Part 54 of post 22, besides serving to support plate l0, also is arranged and connected to said plate in such a manner as to engage and press plate 44 closely against the rear surface of plate Ill. For this purpose, part 54 of post 22 is disposed at the transverse median line of plate 44 in engagement therewith and is thus held by screws 56 which are threaded into openings in posts 58 which as here shown are integral with and project from the rear surface of plate [0 at spaced points disposed on the transverse median line of said plate.

The shaft or support for plate I0 may be provided with suitable means for securely anchoring the same in the ground or in a suitable base of cement or the like. Thus as illustrated in Fig. 6, the post 22a, which in other respects is similar to the post 22, is provided with struck out anchoring tongues 60; and as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 the post 221), which is in other respects of the same construction as post 22, is provided with an opening 62 through which a removable anchoring pin 64 may be inserted for anchoring said post in position. Pin 64 is provided with an enlarged head portion 66 which limits the movement of said pin in one direction through opening 62.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10 the marker is constructed and arranged to be placed in horizontal position substantially flush with the ground or with a suitable base 61 of cement or concrete. The marker, here shown, is of the same construction as that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 with the exception that instead of a post, such as post 22, there is provided an anchoring member 68. Said anchoring member 68 is of substantially the same construction as the upper portion 54 of post '22 and like the latter, is channel shaped and is secured to plate It over the retaining plate 44. As illustrated in Fig. 10 the plate I0 may be positioned on base 6! being anchored to the latter by member 68 as well as by the securing device 46, said members 68 and 45 being embedded in the cement or concrete of base 61 with the upper surface of base I0 flush with the upper surface of said base, if desired.

Thus it is seen that the construction herein shown and described is well adapted to accomplish the several objects of the present invention. It will be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied otherwise than as here shown and that in the illustrated construction certain changes in the arrangement and structure of the parts may be made and will occur to those skilled in the art in view of the present disclosure. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited precisely to the construction herein shown or described except as may be required by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device ofthe class described comprising a plate having an opening therein, a recess formed in said plate adjacent said opening, and a plurality of individual character units mounted on said plate in said opening, said units having end projections received in said recess of the plate, the rear surfaces of said units being flush with the rear surface of said plate, a retaining member overlying said units at the rear of said plate holding said units in position, means for releasably securing the ends of said retaining member to the rear of said plate, bosses projecting rearwardly from the rear surface of said plate,

and a member comprising a part overlying said retaining member in engagement therewith between the ends thereof and rearwardly offset parts secured to said bosses for holding said retaining member against said units.

2. A device of the class described comprising a metal plate having an opening therein, cast metal character units mounted on said plate and received in said opening with the characters on said units visible at the front of the plate, bosses integral with and projecting from the rear of said plate, a sheet metal member overlying said units in engagement therewith at the rear of the plate for holding said units in position, said sheet metal member having openings through which said bosses project, members surrounding said bosses and engageable with said holding member and screws threaded into said bosses and engageable with said members for releasably securing said holding member in position.

3. A device of the class described comprising a metal plate having an opening therein, cast metal character units mounted on said plate and received in said opening with the characters on said units visible at the front of the plate, bosses integral with and projecting from the rear of said plate, a sheet metal member overlying said units in engagement therewith at the rear of the plate for holding said units in position, said sheet metal member having opening through which said bosses project, members surrounding said bosses and engageable with said holding member and screws threaded into said bosses and engageable with said members for releasably securing said holding member in position, additional bosses integral with and projecting from said plate, a support for said plate having a part positioned at the rear of the plate, and screws passing through said part and threaded into said bossesfor releasably securing said part to said plate.

4. A device of the class described comprising a metal plate having an opening therein and a recess adjacent said opening, cast metal charmediate portions positioned in said opening and end portions received in said recess, the outer surfaces of said units at the rear of said plate being flush with the rear plate-surface, bosses integral with and projecting from the rear of said plate, a sheet metal member overlying said units in engagement therewith at the rear of the plate for holding said units in position, said sheet metal member having openings through which said bosses project, members surrounding said bosses and engageable with said holding member and screws threaded into said bosses and engageable with said members for releasably securing said holding member in position.

5. A device of the class described comprising a metal plate having an opening therein and a recess adjacent said opening, cast metal character units mounted in said plate having intermediate portions positioned in said opening and end portions received in said recess, the outer surfaces of said units at the rear of said plate being flush with the rear plate-surface, bosses integral with and projecting from the rear of said plate, a sheet metal member overlying said units in engagement therewith at the rear of the plate for holding said units in position, said sheet metal member having openings through which said bosses project, members surrounding said bosses and engageable with said holding member and screws threaded into said bosses and engageable with said member for releasably securing said holding member in position, additional bosses integral with and projecting from said plate, a support for said plate having a part positioned at the rear of the plate, and screws passing through said part and threaded into said bosses for releasably securing said part to said plate.

SIDNEY ARKIN. 

